Device for delivering tape



C. G. MORTIMER.

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING TAPE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1919 Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

- mvamorg mm BY TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. MORTIMER, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GUMMED TAPE MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING AIE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 23, 1920,

Application filed February 25, 1919. Serial No. 279,153.

This invention relates to an improvedmachine for supplying tape that is usually gununed before it is placed in the machine and is moistened as it emerges or is fed from the machine. Sometimes dry tape is inserted, which is provided with an adheslvc as it comes through the machine, this being immaterial, the product being used usually in sealing packages and the like and is used in lieu of twine and string, although the particular uses to which it is put are immaterial to this invention.

Machines of this kind have been made in which more or less complication has necessarily resulted, as some of these machines are made to supply a predetermined length of tape which can be automatically cut off after a certain amount has been fed from the machine. and still other machines have been devised in which the amount of tape fed from the machine is not predetermined and a cutting device is installed for terminating or severing the strip at any length the operator desires.

The machines that automatically feed and cut the strips in predetermined lengths are known in the trade as one motion machines, as a lever is employed to feed a certain amount of tape, this feed being adjustable, and when the predetermined amount is fed forward, the cutting device is opcrated.

In the other type of machine, known in the trade as a two motion machine, separate and distinct operations, requiring cessation of one and a starting of another, are essential, and it has been usual to dispose the mechanism in a way to necessitate the use of two hands in its operation, and on this account they have not come into general use.

In my improved machine there are two separate and distinct mechanisms, one for feeding and the other for cutting the strip of tape, but the operating mechanisms have been so disposed that the motion of the op.- erating hand is practically continuous, passing naturally from one actuating mechanism to the other, so that there is no time lost and the operation of the machine is positive.

Another improved feature of my machine is a frame which provides for a disposition of the elements that go to make u the device, this frame embodying a tan and a strip-supporting flange, the frame being mad in one piece and being adapted to support all of the device, making a unitary structure which is very compact, can be easily disposed on a desk or table and has a well balanced appearance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism that will not cause undue splashing due to any excessive or high speed movement of the moistening roller. In this machine the moistening roller is relatively large in diameter and it has a hand wheel of substantially the same diameter;

at least, the hand wheel is large enough to provide for adequate feeding of the tape without excessive or high speed rotation of tion on line 33, Fig. 1.

The machine comprises a frame 10 which has suitable legs 11 and has, in the front ortion thereof, a tank 12, the rear of the mine having a. flange 13, which flange is adapted to support the adhesive tape, which is usually supplied in the form of a roll 14. The shaft 15 is secured in a boss 16 of the flange 13, and a light spring 17 bears against a washer 18, against which the roll 14: is placed. A disk or flange 19 is then slid on thefree end of the shaft 15 and held in place by a suitable fastening means, such as a set-screw 20, and the roll of tape is thus I held in position, the friction ofthe spring 17 being sufiicient to prevent unwinding of the roll after the feeding means has ceased its operation, but not strong enough to interfore with the free and easy operation of the device, since the feeding means pulls on the tape to draw it from the roll.

On the front of the tank is a filling tube or cup 21, the top of which is arranged at a height to limit the height of the liquid in the tank, and at a point that is preferably above said limit is arranged a shaft 22 which extends through both side walls of the tank and has a screwthreaded portion 23' on which is screwed the boss 24 of a moistening roller 25, which rotates in the tank and above which is arranged a pressure roller 26, which is preferably provided with a series of-grooves to prevent an excessive amount of moisture on the top of the strip of tape, but still insures all of the tape being subjected to the action of the moistening roller 25.

The moistening roller 25 is preferably covered with an absorbent material such as felt, or it is made up of absorbent material such as clay, and to prevent too much Water being. deposited 011 the tape I provide a wiper 56, which rests lightly against the periphery of the roller and takes out the excess water as the roller rotates. The absorbent material is preferred as it is moist at all times and the initial feeding of the tape, that is the first part of the strip that comes through, is moistened, since the Whole surface of the moisteningroller is wet enough to moisten-the tape.

' In the rear of the front part of the frame is a lower feed roller 27 and an upper feed roller 28, which are -operated in opposite directions and in unison, since the shafts 29 and 30, on which they are mounted, support the gears 31 and 32, which are in mesh, the gear 31 being driven from a gear which, in turn, is in mesh with a gear 34 on the end of the shaft 22. A cap piece 35 is arranged on each side at the top of the frame and providesa mediiun for the reception of suitable pressure means for the rollers 26 and 28, since the blocks 36 fit into recesses into which the springs 37 -are placed to give the desired pressure. One of these A is illustrated in Fig. 1, and it will be understood that the remaining bearings are similarly equipped with pressure imparting devices.

Between the moistening means and the feeding means the frame is cut away, as at 38, and bosses 39 are placed so that they support a stationary knife blade 40, and on one of which the pivotal screw 41 is fastened, which supports the swinging knife blade 42', so that the swinging knife blade can be brought down across the fixed blade to sever the ta 43 as it emerges from the roll 14. The free end of the movable blade 42 is secured, by a suitable joint, such as the ball joint 44, to a bar 45 which is fastened to a lever 46, this leve'r being suitablywhich preferably has a roughened or.

knurled surface 50. In the preferred disposition of the parts the operating end 48 of the lever is arranged slightly in front of and slightly beneath the wheel 49. When an operator operates these machines, espeeiall y in locations such as department stores, rapidity and positive operation are two essential requirements. The length of strip necessary need only be approximately known, and in this machine the parts are so proportioned that for ordinary uses a partial rotation of the wheel 49 supplies enough tape for pasting the ends of a paper parcel to the body of the parcel to prevent its coming apart. Thus the favorite way of operating the. device is by sweeping downward with the palm of the hand en aging the knurled surface 50 of the relatively large hand wheel 49 and in one single downward movementoperating the rotative device, such as the wheel 49, to cause, through the operative connection, a rotation of the feed rollers 27 and 28 to feed forward sufficient tape 43, and on the completion of its downward movement, as the hand leaves the wheel 49 tangentially it strikes a blow on the operating end 48 of the lever 46, the cutting device is operatml and the tape is severed. If a longer piece of tape is desired a wrist motiouran he employed toturn the wheel 49 from the side. and as enough tape is presented the wrist motion is continued, so that the fingers pass over the topof the wheel 49 and naturally fall on the operating end 48 of the lever 16.

It will be evident that while there are two distinct mechanisms with separate operating devices, one for feeding and the other for cutting, they are so disposed that no more time is used than in the ordinary one motion machine, which is usually very complicated and has been found, after tests, to require the constant attention of a repair man, since the mechanism is not calculated to withstand the rough usage necessarily caused by the haste and vigorous operation to which the machines are subjected in stores and the like, where rapidity of operation is essential.

The movable knife 42 is held in its upright position because the lever 46 is normally held up by a spring 51, clearly shown in Fig. 2, although other means to accomplish this can be used. Any reverse rotation of the machine is prevented by a suitably disposed pawl, the illustration show: ing a pawl 52 arranged tooperate on the gear 34. Suitable guides 53 and 54'can be used to hold the tape against curling between the feeding rolls and the cutting device, one of such guides 54 being formed from the end of a plate 55 which extends down over the back wall 56 of the tank 12 and prevents splashing.

Minor changes can be made in the construction, as will be evident, without departing from the scope of the'invention as set forth in the claims, the essential features of this invention being its simplicity, its ability to stand hard and rapid usage, and the location of the parts so that by practically one motion of the hand sufliclent tape for ordinary usage is ejected from the machine and cut off.

I claim:

1. A device for delivering tape comprising a feeding means,'a cutting device, and manually operated actuating mechanism on each and in close juxtaposition and disposed so that in finishing the operation of one the hand is being directed toward and in the direction of operation of the other.

2. A device for delivering tape comprising a feeding means, a cutting device, said means and said device being so placed that they are successively operated by a single continuous movement of the hand in one direction.

3. A device for delivering tape comprising a frame having a feeding means and a cutting device therein, a rotative manually operated mechanism for the feeding means, a manually operated lever for the cutting device, said lever being pivoted at its rear end and having its front end arranged to project below and beyond the mechanism for the feeding means.

4. A device for delivering tape comprising a frame having a tank at 1ts front end and a flange at the rear end, means for supporting a roll of tape alongside the flange, a feeding means above the tank, a cuttin device above the tank, a wheel projecting rom the side of the tank, said wheel being adapted to rotate the feeding means, a lever pivoted at the rear of the machine and r0- jecting under and beyond the wheel, an an operative connection between the lever and I front of and below the rotative member, and

an operative connection between and the cutting device.

6. A device for delivering tape compristhe lever ing a frame having a small tank at one end and having a tape-supporting flange on the other end, the tank having a filling tube extending part Way up on the-outside to limit the height of liquid in the tank, a rotative moistening roller in said tank mounted on a shaft extending through said tank above the liquid, a wheel on one end of the shaft, a feeding means on the tank, a cutting device on the tank, an operative connection between the shaft and the feeding means, a lever pivoted to the flange and extending below and beyond the wheel, and an operative connection between the lever and the cutting device.

7. A device for delivering tape comprising a feeding means, a moistening roller of relatively large diameter a hand Wheel directly operating said moistening roller and being of substantially the same diameter, and a connection for operating the feeding means from said hand wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereto set my hand this 24th day of February, 1919. 1

CHARLES G. MORTIMER. 

